Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis causing coughing in West Highland white
By Clercx, Cécile et al.·Published in Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)·2018·Department of Clinical Sciences·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in West Highland white terriers: An update.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 7-year-old West Highland white terrier was brought in for coughing, difficulty breathing, and trouble exercising. The vet found signs of a lung condition called canine idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (CIPF), which is common in this breed and can lead to serious breathing problems. Unfortunately, there are no cures for CIPF, and the dog's prognosis is not good. Treatment options focus on managing symptoms, but the condition can be quite challenging for both pets and their owners.
People also search for: West Highland white terrier coughing · dog breathing problems treatment · idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in dogs
Abstract
Canine idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (CIPF) affects middle-aged to older dogs of a single breed, mainly the West Highland white terrier (WHWT), which is suggestive of a genetic predisposition. CIPF causes exercise intolerance, restrictive dyspnoea and coughing. Coarse crackles are heard on thoracic auscultation. Abnormal blood gas parameters and a shortened '6-min-walking test' distance are common; secondarily induced pulmonary hypertension and/or airway collapse are frequent. These features of CIPF mimic those of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in humans and therefore identify CIPF as a possible spontaneously arising model for study of human IPF. However, computed tomographic and histopathological findings of CIPF are not identical to those of human IPF. As in human IPF, the aetiology of CIPF is not yet fully elucidated. There are no curative treatments and the prognosis is poor. This paper reviews advances in understanding of the clinical description and natural history of CIPF, the investigation of biomarkers and the exploration of possible aetiologies and mechanistic hypotheses.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30503545/